Binary Search in Java: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the world of programming, efficiency is key. One algorithm that epitomizes this principle is binary search. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, understanding binary search is crucial for optimizing your code.

Why Binary Search?

Binary search is a powerful algorithm that allows you to quickly find an element in a sorted array. Unlike linear search, which checks each element one by one, binary search divides and conquers, reducing the problem size with each step. This results in a time complexity of O(log⁡n)O, making it significantly faster for large datasets.

Implementing Binary Search in Java

Here’s how you can implement binary search in Java:

public class Task2 {    
// Method to perform binary search
    public static int binarySearch(int[] arr, int target) {
        int left = 0;
        int right = arr.length - 1;
        while (left <= right) {
            int mid = left + (right - left) / 2;
            // Check if the target is present at mid
            if (arr[mid] == target) {
                return mid;
            }
            // If target is greater, ignore the left half
            else if (arr[mid] < target) {
                left = mid + 1;
            }
            // If target is smaller, ignore the right half
            else {
                right = mid - 1;
            }
        }
        // Target is not present in the array
        return -1;
    }
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] arr = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10};
        int target = 5;
        int result = binarySearch(arr, target);
        if (result != -1) {
            System.out.println("Element found at index: " + result);
        } else {
            System.out.println("Element not found in the array.");
        }
    }
}

Output

Github Link for Code :- https://github.com/mdshamsfiroz/Arth-4-Tasks/blob/main/DataStructure/Task2.java

How It Works

• Divide: The algorithm calculates the middle index of the array.
• Conquer: It compares the middle element with the target value.
• Reduce: Depending on whether the middle element is greater or less than the target, it narrows down the search to either the left or right half of the array.
• This process repeats until the element is found or the subarray size becomes zero.

Benefits of Binary Search

• Efficiency: Handles large datasets with ease.
• Simplicity: The logic is straightforward to implement.
• Performance: Outperforms linear search in sorted arrays.

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